Illuminated display device



y 3, 1958 1.. s. YOUNG 2,834,134

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Dec. 1, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

40M45 .5. Yo 0N6 BY States Patent 2,34,134 Patented May 13, 1958 ILLUMINATED DISPLAY DEVICE Lonas S. Young, Tucson, Ariz.

Application December 11, 1953, Serial No. 397,574

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to illuminated display devices and more particularly to such devices of the shadow box type.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an illuminated display device in the form of a shadow box in which the scene within the box may be quickly and easily changed and in which a sign carrying either identifying or advertising indicia thereon may also be readily changed to correspond with the change of the scene exhibited in the display device.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an illuminated device in the form of a shadow box which may be used for purposes of advertising, display or as a decoration usable within the home.

Another and further object of this invention is the provision of a tri-dimensional illusion of the scene depicted within the illuminated device.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description, forming the specification, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the display device embodying this invention showing a scene within the device;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 2-'-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the illuminated display device.

With continued reference to the drawings, the illuminated display device of this invention comprises a box or body, generally indicated at 10, which is shown as being generally of rectangular but which obviously can be made in any other shape or form, such as, a halfmoon, circular, square, etc., without departing from the inventive concept. The body is open at both ends and carries at its front end 12 a frame, generally indicated at 14, in which the sides or panels thereof are inclined rearwardly and extend partially within the body 10 at the end 12 thereof since the sides of the frame 14 are secured upon the corresponding sides of the box or body 10 intermediate its width and on the rear surface thereof as clearly shown in Figure 2. The frame 14 is provided with the usual window or opening 16 which is in communication with the interior of the body 10 to provide access to the interior of the box or body 10. The lower side or panel 18 of the frame 14 is provided with the cut-out section 20 therein and opening to the end 22 thereof to define a recess. A plate 24, preferably of a transparent or translucent material and carrying identifying or advertising indicia 26 thereon is received in the cut-out section or recess 20 behind a pair of inwardly directed flanges 28 along opposite longitudinal edges of the cut-out portion 20 and of a width less than the width of the lower panel 18. A support clip 30 is carried by the rear surface 32 of the lower panel 18 and extends upwardly and has the upstanding leg thereof biased forwardly so as to extend partially within the recess 20 centrally thereof to define a sustaining means whereby the plate 24 may be releasably and removably received and supported in the cut-out section or recess 20.

The rear surface 32 has secured thereto a pair of support clips 34, similar to the support clip 30 and disposed centrally between the respective longitudinal edges of the recess 20 and the edge of the panel 18 adjacent thereto, and as in the case of the support clip 30 has its upstanding leg biased forwardly so as to project slightly into the window 16. One of these clips 34 is shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the other of the support clips 34, not shown, will be similarly placed on the rear face 32 positioned similarly but on the opposite side of the recess 20 to that of the positioning of the support clip 34 that is shown.

A silhouette 36 is supportingly received in the clips 34 which then define a sustaining means to supportingly and removably hold the silhouette across the window 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The silhouette 36 is normally so designed as to extend entirely across the window 16 but of a height less than the height of the window 16.

The box or body 10 is provided with a pair of side walls 38 and 49 and a bottom wall 42 which extends therebetween. The bottom wall 42 supports thereon a plurality of light bulbs 44 within the interior of the box or body 10, with the light bulbs 44 being received in the usual sockets to which wires 46 lead to a source of electrical energy, such as a convenience outlet.

The side walls 38 and 40 carry thereon at the rear end 48 of the body 10 a plurality of support clips 50 one leg of which overlie the back end 48 and extend toward the side wall opposite to the one upon which it is carried so as to extend across the interior of the box or body 10, and as in the case of the support clips 30 and 34, may be slightly biased inwardly toward the front end 12 of the body 10. The bottom'wall 42 carries centrally thereof and at the back end 48 a single support clip 52, one leg of which extends upwardly and partially biased into the interior of the box or body 10. The clip 52 defines a sustaining means for the background panel 54 whereby it may be supported across the back end 43 of the box or body It) and removably retained by the plurality of supporting clips 50 since the background panel 54 will be inserted between the laterally projecting legs of the clips 50 and the back end 48 of the box 10 to be supported upon the horizontal portion of the support clip 52 with the upstanding leg thereof overlying the rear surface of the background panel.

With regard to the plate 24, it may be made opaque with the letters or indicia 26 thereon being transparent so that the illumination provided by the electric bulbs 44 reflected from the background panel 54 will shine through the letters 26, giving the appearance to the letters of a lighted or neon sign.

With regard to the background panel, it will be lighted by illumination from the bulbs 44 and may depict a suitable background scene such as a sunset or moon-lit sky with the silhouette 36 spaced therefrom and forwardly thereof in parallel relation thereto will appear as a silhouetted foreground superimposed upon the desired background scene giving the effect of three dimensional realism, especially when the source of illumination, light bulbs 44, is interposed between the spaced parallel background panel and silhouette panel.

It is indeed a simple matter to change the silhouette panel 36 by merely lifting it upwardly out of the supporting clips 34 and replacing it with another silhouette panel thus providing a different foreground to the background panel 54. Likewise, the background panel and hence any scene thereon, may be just as easily changed by lifting the panel 54 upwardly out of its support clip 52 and the guide and retaining clips 50, and replacing the panel 54 with a similar background panel which has a difierent scene depicted thereon. Thus there can be provided a plurality of combinations with a few background and silhouette panels.

in addition, the plate or sign 24 is readily removable by lifting it out of the recess 20 and it may be replaced by a similar panel or plate carrying other lettering or indicia 26 which may be for the purpose of identifying the tri-dimensional elfect as seen viewed through the window 16 for the purpose of carrying advertising indicia thereon used in connection with the scene provided in the window 16 by the silhouette 36 and the background panel 54.

It is pointed out that the type of lights, that is the source of illumination, may be changed to conform to the shape, size or effect desired in the display device. Also, the distance between the silhouette panel 36 and the background panel 54 may be varied with the size and shape of the frame and body so as to present the elfect desired by the illuminated display device. In addition, it will be appreciated that the present device may be made of wood, any suitable plastic material, cardboard or other fibrous material, metal or glass, or of any material which would lend itself to being adapted for employment in producing the display device.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that there has been described an illuminating display device comprising the body or box carrying a frame 14 at one end thereof, the frame 14 having an opening 16 therein defining a window in communication with the interior of the body 10, a background panel removably carried at the other end of the body and visible through the window 16, a silhouette panel which is carried by the frame in such manner that it may easily be removed therefrom, the silhouette panel 36 being in spaced parallel relation with the background 54 and the panel 36 extending across the window to define a foreground for the background panel, and the light bulbs 44 providing a source of illumination carried by the body 10 between the panels 36 and 54 to illuminate the background panel 54 to thereby intensify the depth perception effect of the foreground on the background panel as viewed through the window 16.

While there are shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change and modification within the practicability of the invention and therefore should be limited only by the scope of the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

An illuminated display device comprising a hollow body having both ends open and carrying a frame at one end thereof, said frame having an opening therein defining a window in communication with the interior of said body, a background panel removably carried at the other end of said body and visible through said window, a silhouette panel removably carried by said frame in spaced parallel relation to said background panel and extending across said window to define a foreground for said background panel, and a source of illumination carried by said body between said panels to illuminate said background panel thereby intensifying the depth perception effect of the foreground on the background panel as Viewed through said window, said frame including a bottom panel having a cut-out section therein defining a plate-receiving recess, .aplate havingindicia thereon removably received in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,776 Stephenson Nov. 6, 1934 2,019,098 Schrickel Oct. 29, 1935 2,105,008 Riley Jan. 11, 1938 2,183,426 Hart Dec. 12, 1939 2,211,353 Solkover Aug. 13, 1940 2,565,553 Foley Aug. 28, 1951 2,577,982 Traum Dec. 11, 1951 2,588,545 Lawrence Mar. 11, 1952 2,731,749 Tarzian Jan. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 449,158 France Dec. 16, 1912 37,076 Denmark Ian. 21, 1927 56,200 Norway Feb. 17, 1936 369,402 Italy Mar. 20, 1939 

